Conveyer



April 19, 1932. K. -iENsEN ET AL C ONVEYER Filed Dec, 10, 1930 2Sheets-Sheet IIIHII NNN mm mw ww April 19, 1932. K, JENSEN ET AL1,854,334

CONVEYER Filed Dec. 10, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 19, 1932UNITED STATES A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS L"PATENT OFFICE KENNETH`JENSEN, F LA. GRANGE, AND EDLUND AIN'ZDEEBON2 OF CHICAGO ILLINOIS,.ASSIGNORS TO KENSINGTON STEEL COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

comun.

' nppueauon med necemberio, 1930. serial no. 501,336.

l Our invention relates to conveyers of the link belt type in which aplurality of pivotally connected belt sections are so supported as toprovide a conveyer having upper and 5, lower runs.

. One object of the invention is to provide a link belt conveyer made upof a plurality of pivotally connected units which are so formed andsupported in overlapped relation that the overlapped edges form doubleseals to prevent the material bein handled from leaking through thespaces ie nected units.

Another object is to provide each unit of l5 the conveyer belt with aplurality of abutments adapted to move into abutting engagement withcooperating abutments of an adjacent unit to prevent any substantialsagging of the connected units. In this connection the inventioncontemplates abutments which are so formed and located as to move intoengagement one with another at a substantial distance from the pivotalaxis of the connected units, thereby providing ample strength to supportthe load on the conveyer without imparting undue strain or wear on theabutting members. Specifically, the invention includes abutmentsdisposed beneath the bottom of one unit adapted to move into engagementwith the edge of an adjacent unit and also abutments extending outwardlyfrom the sides of one unit adapted to engage the side walls of anadjacent unit; thesaid abutments being constructed and arranged to avoidcrushing or compressing of material between them when the units moveinto horizontal alignment.

Another object is to provide a link belt conveyer in which the severalsections of the belt are constructed in the form of pans having sidewalls of substantial height which overlap the side Walls of adjacentpans and in which chain links for engagement with driving sprockets areformed integrally with the pan bottom.

Further and more specific objects of the invention will appear from thedetailed description of the constructions and operations of theembodiment of our invention shown in the accompanying drawings.

tween the con-4 traction wheel, said sectional view being taken on line2-2 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken through the conveyer on line 3-3of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by thev Fig. 4 is an innerplan view of one of the link belt units shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and

Fi 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5--5 of ig. 4, but illustratingthe unit in its normal upright position.

rihe embodiment of 4our invention shown in the accompanying drawingscomprises a link belt made up of a plurality of pivotally con nectedunits 10 supported in overlapped relation and constructed, ashereinafter described, to limit the flexing of the belt in onedirection. The belt is supported at one end on a pair of drivingsprockets 11 and at the other end on a pair of traction wheels 12. Thejournal bearings 13 of the traction wheels are preferably movablysupported on the frame 14 and may be adjusted longitudinally .of theframe by means of adjustmg screws 15 interposed between the journalbearings 13 and the cross members 16 of the frame. Each unit of ourconveyer belt herein shown is made in the form of a pan havinga slopingbottom 17 formed at its rear edge with a flange or wall 18 and at theside with side walls 19-19; the upper edges of the latter beingpreferably formed to move into a horizontal plane alignment with theupper edges ofthe side walls of adjacent pans of the belt when theconnected pans assume a horizontal position. The forward edge of eachpan bottom is formed with an upwardly curved portion 20 which extendsentirely across the pan and provides a curvedtongue 21 which ex'- tendsover the end wall 18 of an adjacent pan and bears against the inclinedbottom surface of said adjacent pan. The bearing' of the tongue againstthe bottom of said pan together with the position of the upwardlyprojectin flange 18 rovi'de a. double seal to prevent t e materia beinghandled from leaking out between the adjacent pans. Any material whichmay pass beneath the tongue 21 will be retained in the space between theton e and the liange 18 until the unit moves over the traction wheels12. This movement of adjacent sections of the belt out of horizontalalignment causes the tongue 21 to move out of engagement with the bottomsurface of the adjacent pan (see Fig. 2) andthereby permits theentrapped material to discharge from the pan along with the othermaterial.

Spaced chain link members 22-22 are 1ocated near the sides of each panand are formed integrally with the bottom thereof. Each chain linkmember consists of a barrel end 23 and side bars 24-24, the latter ofwhich embrace the barrel end of a chain link of an adjacent pan.Suitably pivot pins 25 extend through openings in the side members andbarrel end of cooperating links to provide pivotal axes of the connectedumts. It will be observed that each chain link provides two axes andthat a plane including both axes extends at an angle to the surface ofthe bottom engaged by the curved tongue 21 of an adjacent pan.Reinforcing webs 26-27, preferably of V-shape in plan extend across thespace between the chain links of each unit so as to rigidify the chainlinks themselves and to also strengthen the bottom portion of the pan.The lower edges of the side bars 24.-24 of the chain link members areformed with lateral flanges 28 which provide trackwa s for bearing onthe perimeters of the sproc et wheels and traction wheels respectively.

In conveyers of the character herein shown, the material being handledis deposited on the upper run of the conveyer belt. It is thereforedesirable that the units of the belt be maintained in rigid relationwhen they form the upper run of the conveyer. In order to provide thedesired rigidity to prevent sagging ofthe belt, we provide each unitwith a plurality of abutments which move into engagement with abutmentsof adjacent units at points remote from the pivotal axis. To this end weprovide the pan side walls with outwardly projecting bosses 29-30 whichform abutments for the edges 31-32 of the adjacent walls of a connectedpan. These abutments serve to limit the flexing movement of theconnected units by coming into v engagement one with another when thepivotally connected pans move into horizontal position. The saidabutting surfaces are sufficiently remote from the pivotal axis of theconnected units that the ordinary wear of the pivot pin 25 or theelongation of the bearing openings of the chain link members will notresult in any appreciable sagging of the upper run of the belt. Thebosses 29-30 are preferably circular so as to avoid the collectionthereon of the material Abeing handled. The edges 31-32 of the adjacentpan wall yare preferably curved so as to permit the use of the circularbosses 29-30 and at the same time provide bearing surfaces of suiicientarea to avoid excessive wear. In addition to the abutments abovedescribed, each unit is provided with depending flanges 33-34 locatedbeneath the floor of the pan and beneath the curved portion 2O thereofand adapted to move into abutting engagement with the edge surface 35 ofthe bottom of the adjacent pan when said pans move into horizontalalignment. Preferably the flanrres 33-34 extend across the side bars ofthe chain links, thereby serving both as abutments and alsoreinforcements for the bottom of the pan. The position of the abuttingsurfaces 33, 34 and 35 beneath the pan bottom Fprevent the collection ofmaterial thereon. All of the abutments above described, it will beobserved, move into engagement one with another in a plane perpendicularto the movement of the conveyer and at locations above Vthe nectedunits.l

As a further means of supporting the upper run of the conveyer beltrollers 36-36 are journaled on reduced end portions 37 of the abutmentmembers 291-30. The said rollers 36 are held in position by means ofbolts 38. The reference numerals 39 designate trackways on which therollers 36-36 run to support the upper portion of the conveyer belt.Similar trackways 40-40 are positioned beneath the lower run of theconveyer belt to support it in a substantially horizontal position andthereby relieve the driving sprockets and traction wheels from unduestrain.

The teeth 41 of the driving sprocket wheels 11-11 are formed withtapered shank portions 42 which fit in sockets 43. Bolts 44 extendthrough the shank portion of each removable tooth and through the webportion of the sprocket wheel to hold the tooth firmly in its socket.The periphery of the traction wheels 12-12 are provided with removablepads 45, the pads being formed with Shanks 46 adapted to t in sockets 47and to be secured therein by bolts 48 in substantially the same manneras described in connection with the sprocket wheel. The provision ofremovable pads 45 and sprocket teeth 41 makes it practicable to removeand replace these members quickly without disconnecting or dismountingthe conveyer belt.

While we have illustrated herein a preferred embodiment of ourinvention, itwill be apparent that various modifications in structuremight be made without departing from the spirit of our invention. willbe understood therefore that we `rc"`,i1`template as a part of ourinvention all/such modificapivotal axis of the contions coming withinthe scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

l. A link belt conveyer composed of a plurality of pivotally connectedunits, each unit comprising a floor portion formed along its rear edgewith an upstanding flange and formed along its forward edge with acurved lip which normally projects over the said flange of an adjacentunit and bears against the bottom of said unit at a location spaced fromsaid flange, whereby said lip and flange form a double seal between twoconnected units when said units are moved into horizontal alignment.

2. A link belt conveyer composed of a. plurality of pivotally connectedunits, each unit comprising a floor portion formed on its bottom surfacewith spaced chain link members, formed along its rear edge with anupstanding flange and formed along its forward edge with a curved lipwhich normally projects over the said flange of an adjacent unit andbears against the bottom thereof at a location spaced from said flange,whereby said lip and flange forma double seal between two adjacent unitswhen said units are moved into horizontal alignment.

3. A link belt pan conveyer composed of a plurality of pivotallyconnected units,each unit comprising a pan portion having a bottom andside walls and spaced link members formed integrally with the bottom,the bottom portion of each pan being formed at one end with a lip whichoverlaps and bears against the bottom of an adjacent pan to form a sealwhen the units are in horizontal alignment, and provided also withabutments on the pan bottom extending transversely of said link membersand adapted to move into abutting engagement with an abutment formedalong the edge of the overlapped portion of said adjacent pan.

4. A link belt conveyer composed of a plurality of pivotally connectedunits, each including a pan portion having asloping bottom andvertically disposed side walls, spaced chain link members formedintegrally with the bottom of each pan portion, reinforcing ribsextending across said bottom portion between said chain link members,and abutment members located beneath the pan bottom of one unit in aposition to move into abutting engagement with the rear edge of saidadjacent pan`and in a plane substantially perpendicular to the movementof said conveyer.-

5. In a conveyer made up of a plurality of pan 'units having bottom andupwardly projecting side walls and linked together in overlappedrelation to provide an endless ging of the conveyer belt, a trackwaypositioned at opposite sides of the upper run of the conveyer, androllers journaled on said outward projections and adapted to run on saidtrackway.

6. ln a conveyer made up of a plurality of pan units having bottom andupwardly projecting side walls and linked together in overlappedrelation to provide an endless conveyer belt, outward projections formedon the side walls of said pan units adapted to move into abuttingengagement with the side walls of an adjacent pan to prevent sagging ofthe conveyer belt, a. trackway positioned at opposite sides of the upperrun of the conveyer, a trackway positioned at opposite sides of thelower run of the conveyer, and rollers journaled on said outwardprojections and adapted to run on said trackways.

7. A link belt conveyer composed of a plu rality of pivotally connectedunits, each unit comprising a ioor portion for receivin the materialbeing conveyed and formed a ong its rear ed e withan abutment surfaceand along its forward edge with a tongue the latter of which projectsover the rear edge portion of an adjacent unit to form a seal, spacedchain link members arranged beneath the bottom of the floor portion, andabutment members depending from the bottom surface of said floor portionat locations adjacent said tongue portion and adapted to move intoabutting engagement with the rear edge of said adjacent unit and in aplane'substantially perpendicular to the path of movement of theconveyer.

8. A link belt conveyer composed of a plurality of pivotally connectedunits, each including a pan portion having a bottom and upwardlyprojecting side walls, and chain link members on the underside of thebottom of each an portion and pivotally conconveyer belt, outwardprojections formedA I on the side walls of said pan units adapted tomove into abutting engagement with the side walls of an adjacent pan toprevent sag-

